Lesson 4: The Human Person in the Environment

Introduction

“What is the world made of?”,”How did the world came into beings?”, and “How can
we explain the process of change?” were philosophical questions already brought up
approximately 600 B.C.E. in the Western lonian seaport town of Miletus across the Aegean
Sea from Athens, Greece. Because lonia was the meeting place between the East and West,
Greek philosophy may have oriental as well as Egyptian and Babylonia influences. In both
east and west, philosophers were asking questions about the universe we live in and our place
in it.
The speculations of the pre-Socratic philosophers represent a paradigm shift—a
change from the mythical explanation of the origins of the cosmos to a more rational
explanation
Consider these two frameworks (Payne 2010):

Human Nature
Culture Wild
Individualism Holism
Mind Nature/Cosmos
Calculative Body
Human over/Against Relational
environments
Earth/Wisdom
Global/Technological
Figure 4.1. Anthropocentric Model Ecology over/Against
humans
Figure 4.2. Ecocentric Model

Based on the anthropocentric model, humans are superior and central

to the universe. Ecocentric model, the ecological or relational integrity of the
humans, provides meaning of our morals and values. Ecological positioning
occurs in the past, present, and future, and their environmental settings with
regard to our identifications, relations and attachments in, about, with or for
various natures (Payne 2009).
According to Payne (2009), classrooms cannot set aside the importance
of aesthetics as well as the environment that suggest valuing the include:
aesthetic, appreciation, enjoyment, relaxation, satisfaction, calm, peace, social
interaction, growth towards holism, and self-understanding.
 Notice Disorder in the Universe
The domination of humanity is linked to be the domination of nature based on the
anthropocentric model. An unfair or unjust utilization of the environment result to ecological
crisis. From this view, it follows that human arrogance toward nature is justifiable in order to
satisfy human interests.
Current researches by Zimmerman (1994), Elgin (2009), and Pettman (2012) to name
a few, exposed the environmental consequence of international politico-economic
specialization for specific countries and global regions. Research also shows the implications
for both abuses of natural resources and of the generation of waste and emissions.
Below is an example of a household chart in North America and the average
consumption vis-à-vis CF.
Carbon footprint has eight categories

1. Construction 2. Construction 3. Construction 4. Construction

5. Shelter 6. Shelter 7. Shelter 8. Shelter

The Ecocentric model in Figure 4.2, in contrast, puts the ecosystem first and assumes that
the natural world has intrinsic value. Nature is not valued for the future survival of human
species per se, but is invaluable in itself. For instance, humans have a responsibility toward
the land. However, because of the anthropocentric attitude, humanity claims ownership or
authority over land.

Destruction of Property: PICTURES

Notice Things that are not in Their Proper Place and Organize Them in an Aesthetic
Way
Ancient Thinkers
Early Greek philosophers, the Milesians, regarded Nature as spatially without
boundaries, that is, as infinite or indefinite in extent. One ancient thinker, Anaximander,
employed the term “boundless” to convey the further thought that nature is indeterminate—
boundless in the sense that no boundaries between the warm and cold or the moist and dry
regions are originally present within it (Solomon & Higgins 2010).
(PICTURES OF ANAXIMANDER)
According to Anaximander’s sketch of the genesis of the world (cosmogony), the
evolution of the world begins with the generation of opposites in a certain region of Nature: a
portion of the boundless first differentiates itself into a cold-moist mass surrounded by a
roughly spherical shell of the warm-dry.
(PICTURE OF PHYTAGORAS)
Describe the universe as living embodiment of nature’s order, harmony, and beauty.
He sees our relationship with the universe involving biophilia (love of other living things)
and cosmophilia (love of other living beings. Perhaps, we could consider the early him as an
ecologist.
MODERN THINKERS

Immanuel Kant
In his third critique, Critique of Judgement, Immanuel Kant expresses that beauty is
ultimately a symbol of morality (Kant 1997). According to Kant, we must ignore any
practical motives or inclinations that we have and instead contemplate the object without
being distracted by our desires (Goldblatt & Brown 2010). For instance, one should not be
tempted to plunge into the water in a seascape portrait.

Herbert Marcuse
Understanding our relationship with the environment can also refer to the human
beings with ecology and nature. For Herbert Marcuse, humanity had dominated nature. There
can only be change if we will change our attitude towards our perception of the environment.

George Herbert Mead

Consider this American Indian prayer (Gallagher 1996):
O Great Spirit, whose voice I heard in the winds
And whose breath gives life to the world, hear me.
I come to you as one of your many children…
I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom.
May I walk in beauty.
Make my hands respect the things that you have made,
Make my ear sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may know the things that you have
Taught your children…
The lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock…
Make me strong so that I may not be superior to other people,
But able to fight me greatest enemy; which is myself.
Make me every ready to come to you with straight eyes
So that, when life fades as the fading sunset,
I may come to you without shame.
4.3 Show the care for the Environment Contributes to Health, Well-being, and
Sustainable Development
 There are numerous theories to show care for the environment aside from the
ecocentric model such as deep ecology, social ecology, and ecofeminism to name some.
A. Deeply Ecology. For this theory, ecological crisis is an outcome of
anthropocentrism, which is already discussed. Deep ecologists encourage humanity
to shift away from anthropocentrism to ecocentrism.
B. Social Ecology. For this theory, ecological crisis results from authoritarian
social structures. Social ecologists call for small-scale societies, which recognize that
humanity is linked with the well-being of the natural world in which human life
depends.
C. Ecofeminism. This theory argues that ecological crisis is a consequence of
male dominance. What is a “superior ”is entitled to whatever is“ inferior. male trait as
in the anthropocentric model are superior as opposed to female traits as in the
ecocentric model. Domination works by forcing the other to comfort to what is
superior. For the adherents of this view, freeing nature and humanity means removing
the superior vs. inferior in human relations.

4.4 Demonstrate the Virtues of Prudence and Frugality toward Environment

Erich Fromm
Arising from the discussions, Fromm (2013) proposed a new society that should
encouraged the emergence of a new human being that will foster prudence and moderation of
frugality towards environment. These are some of the functions of fromm’s envisioned
society.
1. The willingness to give up all forms of having, in order to fully be.
2. Being fully present where one is.
3. Trying to reduced greed, hate, and illusion as much as one is capable.
4. Making the full growth of oneself and of one’s fellows being as the supreme goal of living.
5. Not deceiving others, but also not being deceived by others; one may be called innocent,
but not naïve.
6. Freedom that is not arbitrariness but the possibility to be oneself, not as a bundle of greedy
desires, but as delicately balanced structure that at any moment is confronted with the
alternatives of growth or decay, life or death.
7. Happiness in the process of ever-growing aliveness, whatever the furthest point is that fate
permits one to reach, for living as fully as one can is so satisfactory that the concern for what
one might or might attain has little chance to develop.
8. Joy that comes from giving and sharing, not from hoarding and exploiting.
9. Developing one’s capacity for love together with one’s capacity for critical, unsentimental
thought.
10. Shedding one’s narcissism and accepting that tragic limitations inherent in human
existence.